Eschatology
by scatteredminds
Summary: Five years after the Pharaoh passed over, he comes to Yugi in a dream and tells him that he's no longer in peace. Having taken away something valuable from Yugi, an unknown antagonist pops up on the scene through the Silencer Tournament to bring about the end of days. With an accomplice who has ties to Kaiba, the group set out to prevent an apocalyptic end to the world.


" _Yugi," a familiar deep voice rang through the humid air of the endless Egyptian desert. Yugi squinted as he turned around in a circle, unsure where the voice was coming from, the sun blinding him from nearly all directions. He raised his right hand to shield his eyes as they darted back and forth, sweat ran down his forehead and trickled off of his fingertips. It felt as though he had been stood in the same position for hours, looking for the source of the voice._

" _Pharaoh?" Yugi called out, his voice matching the deepness of the one calling out to him. He stopped turning and waited. Nothing. Dead silence. Yugi groaned and started to tread through the blistering Egyptian heat. Every now and then he would turn around to check out his trail. It really didn't feel like he had moved but the footsteps trailing behind him said otherwise._ This is a desert, Yugi. Everything is going to the look the same, _he reminded himself._

 _Until it wasn't._

 _An oasis appeared in the near distance, with what appeared to be a body of water and greenery. Yugi paused, soaking in the sight. This was better than seeing a proper meal for the first time after saving Egypt. The sweltering heat seemed to be forgotten in that moment as Yugi's body found an energy reserve and started sprinting, or tried to sprint, through the sand. His body screamed out, which manifested through his loud yells, as he pushed his body to its limit, trying to reach the greenery as quickly as possible. As soon as he took the first step onto the grassy area, his body stopped and he fell onto the floor. Yugi breathed in the grassy smell, that overpowered the body odour he had produced during his trek across the desert, closing his eyes to shield them from the sun. For a brief moment, he felt as if he had found paradise; that if he were to die right then, he probably would have been okay with it._

 _Yugi laid there before his ears picked up on the gentle sounds of the water. He opened his eyes, propping himself up on his elbows and turned his head. "Water," Yugi breathed, licking his dry lips. Scrambling onto his feet, he lunged for the spring, pushing past the bushes and trees. He dropped to his knees as soon as he reached the embankment, practically submerging his head under the water. He took in as much water as possible, not caring if the minute he stopped drinking he had would throw it all back up. He took back what he thought earlier, if he were to die in this position, it would be alright with him._

 _Lifting his head out of the water, Yugi took a deep breath in, expecting to smell the grass or water. He was met with his bodily odour. He cringed and stood._ First, I'll clean myself and then I'll clean my clothes. I'm so sorry water for you will experience this, _Yugi thought. He removed his clothes, only leaving on his boxers, and chucked them into a pile on a grassy patch. He walked into the water, slightly taken aback but thankful at how cool the water felt on his body. He continued his journey to around three-quarters of the way to the centre before stopping and dunking his head under water. He ran his fingers through his hair before coming back up to the surface and scrubbing his body with his fingertips, instantly regretting not bringing an article of clothing to rub himself with. Once he felt comfortable that he was moderately clean, he lifted his body and began to float on the water's surface._

 _It was silent as he gently floated. It was peaceful. The air was cooling, the sun was dropping and the humidity began to reduce. Yugi closed his eyes and smiled as the water gently rocked his body. He stayed this way for a while, soaking in the serenity that he felt._

" _Yugi…" the voice called out again. Yugi's eyes snapped open, returning back to a standing position. This time, he was in the centre of the spring and it was far too deep for him to stand. He waded his arms gently, allowing himself to float in the same position._

" _Pharaoh? Atem?" Yugi said gently, turning his head right and left. The sun was setting in the distance. He watched as the sun's last rays shone over the landscape when suddenly it became black. The blue waters turned to a tar black colour, and the greenery that surrounded him was replaced with a darkness. Yugi's heart raced, calling out to the Pharaoh once again. He was met with the gentle sound of the water._

 _He needed to get out of the water. Yugi began to wade forward when something suddenly grabbed his left ankle. "What the-" Yugi began to exclaim before being dragged under water. He started to fight against the force pulling him down, kicking at whatever was dragging him down. He motioned at his wrist but his deck never came to fruition. He frantically looked up to find himself engulfed in watery darkness. This was how he was going to die and he had no idea why or how._

" _Yugi!" the Pharaoh yelled and the thing that was dragging Yugi down let go. Yugi stayed in stasis in the water, surprised he was breathing normally. In the corner of his eye, Yugi could see a bright golden light emanating from an unknown source. He slowly turned around and was met with the Millennium Puzzle, that had been enlarged 100 times over._

" _Uh…Pharaoh?"_

 _The Millennium Puzzle dimmed for a brief second before the golden light engulfed Yugi. He yelled out in shock, closing his eyes and turning away to prevent going blind._

" _Yugi…" the Pharaoh began. Yugi opened his eyes and saw a black figure emerging from the eye of the Millennium Puzzle. "…I need your help…"_

" _But…Pharaoh…you're at peace! The Millennium Puzzle fell, along with all the others, when you went to the afterlife."_

" _I no longer am, Yugi. I am calling upon you to help me go back. Please, find me." Before Yugi could answer, the bright light suddenly went out and a loud ringing noise erupted through the room._

" _What the-"_

Yugi sat up abruptly in bed, beads of sweat running down the side of his face, with the ringing noise from his dream still ongoing. He turned to his left to look at his alarm clock. 6:43 AM. It was still incredibly dark as, at this time of the year, the days were much shorter. He turned to his right to find his phone showing Joey's face, vibrating across the bedside before it rested and the light dimmed down. He furrowed his brows. He wasn't sure what Joey would need this early in the morning, but he was doubly confused at the dream he had just woken from. It had been nearly five years since the Pharaoh and he had battled it out before Yugi had won, sending Atem to the afterlife. It's not that he had forgotten the Pharaoh-not at all-it was just that he hadn't had a dream about him since Atem had passed over. What did that dream mean?

Before Yugi could ponder over the question, his phone started to ring again. Sighing, Yugi picked it up to find Joey calling him again. He pressed the green button on the touchscreen and pressed it against his ear. "Hey Joey! It's pretty earl-"

"Yuge!" Joey said in a panicked voice. Yugi sat up straight, his eyes widening. "These guys! They got Serenity."

"Guys? What guys?"

"I woke up around ten minutes ago because some guy was at my door and he wouldn't stop knocking! I was already pissed and I opened it and he talked about this mumbo-jumbo about a tournament. You know, I respectfully declined since we got work to do back her but then he said that if I didn't join, that his boss would hurt Serenity. I laughed and said that he'd have to go through me but he dropped the bomb that he had my sister, man! He has my sister!" Joey yelled over the phone. Yugi swung his legs over his bed and stood up, fumbling around for his slippers on the floor in the dark.

"Don't worry Joey, we'll get your sister back! Where is this tournament? Who is hosting the tournament?" Yugi asked, fumbling over his words as they quickly slipped out. He made a beeline towards the switch next to his door, turning on the lights. He looked around his room and winced at the mess. This was his last year in university and his room's organisation was at its lowest. _I'm going to have to sort this out when I get back_.

"He said that 'I would find out when I get to the venue,' and that 'I'm not alone,'" Joey replied, mocking, what Yugi assumed to be, the guy who told Joey the news.

"Where's the venue?" Yugi went to his wardrobe, placing his phone on a ledge on loudspeaker.

"Some remote place, man I don't know. I nearly beat the guy up but when I tried to get at him, I don't know…he disappeared? I think he tricked my head!"

"What do you mean disappear?"

"I…I don't know how to explain it. It felt like he stopped time and stopped me." Yugi didn't reply to the statement. His jaw hung slack as his hands rested on his choker. _What does he mean?_ "That was my reaction! I went straight to Serenity's room after and she wasn't there. We have to get her back!"

"And we will Joey! Call Tristan and Téa! I'll meet you at your place in twenty."

After Yugi hung up, he walked towards his deck and fumbled around with the papers. "Where is my deck?" Yugi mumbled to himself before shoving the entire contents of the desk onto the floor, revealing his deck of cards stacked immaculately, his belt filled with rare cards and his duelling disk. He sighed and grabbed all three, fitting the duelling disk on his wrist, his belt around his waist and the cards in an empty compartment of his belt. He made a beeline for his bedroom door and stopped. He turned around and groaned. Yugi pondered whether or not he had time to quickly clean up his room; whether it was worth it to at least make up his bed. _No I don't_ , Yugi thought and sighed. He opened his bedroom door and turned off the light before closing it behind him.

Yugi reached the top of the stairs before sighing exasperatedly. _Grandpa._ Yugi retraced his steps and walked past his room to the next one over. He began to reach out for the doorknob before pausing. Yugi had to admit that it would've been rude of him to just barge in on his grandfather sleeping, and he might even be in his own pair of boxers. He shuddered at the thought. Instead, Yugi raised his hand, curled it into a fist and knocked twice. He knocked twice. No answer. _Weird_ , Yugi thought. _He's never up before 8AM._ He waited briefly before calling out, "Hey, grandpa, I'm going out and won't be back for a few days! Serenity's been taken and we're going to help Joey get her back!" Not a single shuffle or grunt could be heard, in fact an uncomfortable silence greeted him. Yugi pursed his lips and wrapped his right hand around the doorknob. Just as he was about to turn it, the doorbell rung through the house. Now Yugi was doubly confused. He peaked at his phone, it was 7AM.

 _Maybe Grandpa locked himself out? Maybe he forgot his keys? Maybe he was out last night and is only coming back now?_ Yugi thought as he trudged through the house. _But it's still really weird that he wouldn't tell me. I mean, sure, I'm 21 but he always tells me when he's going out._ Yugi's stopped at the front door, his eyebrows furrowed. _Yeah, maybe he just lost his keys._ "Hey, Grandpa, you really-" Yugi began as he opened the door but stopped dead when he was greeted by a tall, slim pale lady in a black tight dress. The sun was barely up behind her. She had a smile plastered to her face and held out a white envelope. Yugi shuddered as a coolness briefly ran up his spine. Something was wrong and it had to be related to this lady.

"Good Morning, Mister Muto! I am Joyce Perez, you may call me Joyce or Joy, and I have been sent on behalf of my master to request your attendance at his up-and-coming duel tournament! You see, he wants people to battle each other before they can go up against his main duelist. Ones who are able to defeat their opponent get a cash prize of $50,000 and those who beat his prized duellist get to have one request entertained," Joyce greeted him in a robotic manner. "My master has informed me that, as you and a few others are special cases, you'll be going straight to a duel with his greatest dueller." Her smile was still plastered on her face.

 _Oh,_ Yugi thought. Yugi cocked his head to the side. This year was the year he had given himself to take a break from duelling, only if there was an urgency to the situation like Serenity. In fact, throughout the past year, this had been the first time Yugi had put on his belt as a precautionary measure. Life was great, everything was pretty easy-going. He can't get entangled in a tournament, especially right now when Serenity's life is on the line.

"Hey, look, right now I'm taking a bit of a break from duelling because I've got university and my friend is in trouble so-"

"He won't take no for an answer," Joyce smiled, baring her teeth. He moved his weight to his left side, furrowing his brows. _Who is he_?

"And if I say no?"

"Well then, say goodbye to your grandfather," Joyce laughed, her pale right hand barely touching her chest. Yugi's eyes widened.

"What have you done to my grandfather?" Yugi yelled, his anger boiling.

"It's not what I have done, but what my master will do to him. I suggest you take the envelope." Yugi snatched the envelope out of her hands. Just as he was about to open it, Joyce stopped him by tutting. "Ah-ah-ah. Not in front of me, Mister Muto. Thank you for accepting the invitation to The Silencer Competition. Have a good day! We'll see you at the venue by 10PM tonight. Please do not forget to bring your best clothes as there will be a gala. The last flight out to the venue will leave at 3PM, and there are flights every 20 minutes. My master will be waiting." Joyce bowed, turned around and started to walk away. She stopped dead in her tracks. "My master also wants to tell you that there's more on the line than just your grandfather. We'll see you in the finals with Mister Wheeler. Have a pleasant trip."

Unsure for how long Yugi stood in the doorway staring at the distance, Yugi shook his head gently and raised the envelope to his eye-level. He felt tears well up as he thought of his grandfather. What would they want with him? Why would they want him? What else was on the line? Is this to do with his dream earlier? Yugi crumpled the envelope in his palm, his eyes narrowing at the sun that had finally broken over the horizon. "We're going to get you Gramps and Serenity."

* * *

The plane ride to the unknown venue was uncomfortably silent. Yugi, Téa, Joey and Tristan had taken up a whole middle row; to the left of them was Duke, who too had been invited to the competition but had been mainly silent except for when he greeted them. His face looked gaunt, pale and the bags under his eyes indicated that he hadn't slept for several days. However, Duke was not the only duellist whose face was familiar to the four. Weevil and Rex were a few rows behind the four, awkwardly shuffling their cards and looking out the window. Mai Valentine sat quietly by the window after she had nodded at the five, looking as if she were going to burst into tears at any moment.

"Why would they do this?" Téa asked Yugi quietly. "It's one thing to put a title up for grabs, but to take away the ones people love? Who else do you think is going to be there?"

Yugi sighed. "I don't know Téa. Honestly, no one knows who this person is from the looks of it. I just want to get Serenity and grandpa, then get out of there as soon as possible." _And to find out what else is at stake here._

"There's something else, isn't there Yugi?" Téa questioned, snapping Yugi out of his thoughts. Yugi shifted in his seat, unsure how to explain to Téa that he had had a dream about the Pharaoh last night, that it had been five years since he had even seen or heard the Pharaoh, that something terrible might happen. "Earth to Yugi-"

"I had a dream about the Pharaoh last night," Yugi replied. Téa gasped while that caught Joey and Tristan's attention. "He said that he needed my help."

"It's been five years, man, why would you dream about him now?" Tristan pondered, rubbing his chin. "Maybe you miss him?"

"No, no, no. There's something going on here. I dreamt it before Joey called me this morning, before that Joyce woman came to my house and told me that my Gramps was taken and in their custody. I think that what we're getting ourselves into will have a terrible outcome."

"Well, whatever is happening or going to happen," Joey muttered angrily, "we're here to get Gramps and Serenity, and then we're skedaddling."

"Joey, we have to find out the meaning of his dream!" Téa argued, her voice raising slightly.

"After we get my sister and Gramps! I miss the Pharaoh as much as any of you guys, but he's gone! He's in the afterlife! He's at peace, something we've been at for the past few years. These guys, whoever the hell they are, are going to pay for this, and then we can go and dig into your dream," Joey said vehemently. He crossed his arms and stared ahead at the grey wall in front of him.

"Yeah, Yuge, Joey's got a point," Tristan nodded. "We'll find out about your dream after we've saved them." Tristan patted Joey on the shoulder and returned back to the movie he was watching. Yugi sighed and pressed his left hand on his forehead, massaging it gently.

"We've got this Yugi," Téa whispered, placing a hand on Yugi's right. Yugi nodded.

"Let's hope we do."


End file.
